Quick SM Uniform Question

[PHall]

Those blank slides were taking the cheap route out, especially since there were embroidered slides made for SNCO's.

I personally don't see the use for those blank slides at all, since the Air Force doesn't even have SNCO slides any more.

They still have them. They're worn on the sweaters. (Kinda hard to sew stripes on those!)

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

Those blank slides were taking the cheap route out, especially since there were embroidered slides made for SNCO's.

I personally don't see the use for those blank slides at all, since the Air Force doesn't even have SNCO slides any more.

They still have them. They're worn on the sweaters. (Kinda hard to sew stripes on those!)

Indeed?  I did not know that they were still worn at all...I just figured that MSgt and above put their pin-on metal insignia on the epaulettes like lower-ranking NCO/enlisted.

A quick check to AFPC web site illustrated your point...I only wanted to see a picture because it's been forever and a day since I've been around AF SNCO's.  I certainly wasn't doubting you.

http://www.afpc.af.mil/dress/optional.asp

WRT Airman's flight cap...it may be a cost-saving measure to allow SMWOG to wear the Officer cap, but I do not approve of it as SMWOG are not (yet) officers.

When I joined CAP in 1993 it was impressed upon me in no uncertain terms that I did not wear the Officer cap until getting my butterbars.  I didn't argue and purchased and wore the Airman flight cap.

Perhaps units could keep a limited stock of Airman flight caps for new members, and then they'd go back to the unit when the member got their butterbars?

I just don't think it sends a good message, especially to AF personnel and to cadets - I had a brief dust-up with a cadet commander at one of my former units about that...the young man had just got his Cadet 2nd Lt and decided to wear an officer's cap.  I told him (in a friendly manner and off to the side, semi-privately) he was out of regs and he said "I'm an officer."  I told him to check 39-1 but he remained obstinate.  Finally I ordered him to remove it and he griped to the unit CC about it...which did no good since the unit CC knew the regs; it was just that I saw him wearing it before the CC did.

Neither he or his daddy liked me much after that.  Oh, well...you can't make someone like you.

[MSG Mac]

My stock reply to that cadets is " Your grade is CADET, you're rank as a cadet is 2LT".

[Panache]

My stock reply to that cadets is " Your grade is CADET, you're rank as a cadet is 2LT".

*your rank

I apologize in advance for the Grammar Nazi behavior.  But I can't resist...

[MSG Mac]

Auto spell at 2:30 a.m.

[FW]

So much for a "Quick SM Uniform Question"... LOL   

[AlphaSigOU]

So much for a "Quick SM Uniform Question"... LOL   

Quick question, but a voluminous answer!

[Panache]

So much for a "Quick SM Uniform Question"... LOL   

Quick question, but a voluminous answer!

But aren't they all?   

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

A simple answer on CAPTalk?

[The14th]

After a couple of months of back and forth, I decided that I'd keep my E5 rank and serve in CAP as a SSGT. And I believe I have my uniforms squared away for a CAP NCO, as I kind of had to figure out myself since our Squadron has never had a SM NCO.

[gshayd]

Just joined up at the end of May and requested my old NCO rank back after completing Level 1.   I have the BDUs, Class B, Gore Tex and the lightweight Blue jacket figured out.   In the winter when it is cooler I sometimes like to wear a cardigan sweater inside .  Our older building is kind of drafty.  The current 39-1 calls for the grey epaulets.  I tried ordering some SMSgt grey CAP epaulets but got my money refunded as they were not in stock. I notice in the draft 39-1 it says use the grey epaulet and metal rank.  They have those and I can get metal rank.  I am in no rush to get the sweater since I have the lightweight blue jacket.

I am still suffering from sticker shock at my uniform expenses..lol   I am retired and can use AAFES which I did for some items.

About this AF certification stuff on uniforms. I have purchased stuff from AAFES online and in Clothing sales. The only place I have seen it is on the blue tie. Everything else has the DLA label and the Mfg label and the instruction label.

[lordmonar]

Stand by to stand by.

The new 39-1 should be out in the next week or so (or so I have been told by a little birdie).....and the NEW NCO stripes should be in it....which means more sticker shock.

[SarDragon]

The DLA label works instead of the label called for in the reg. I'm not even sure that style label is still used. I haven't bought any AF stuff in many years.

[gshayd]

Which is the reason I have only had 1 pair of BDUs and 1 SS blue shirt with the USAF Chevrons. I did notice that with the CAP chevrons that the requirement to wear the CAP cutouts on the collar is gone in the new 39-1.   

[The CyBorg is destroyed]

The CAP chevrons to me look a bit garish.

It would have been, to me, quite sufficient to swop out the star for our historic triangle-and-prop device.

[NC Hokie]

The CAP chevrons to me look a bit garish.

It would have been, to me, quite sufficient to swop out the star for our historic triangle-and-prop device.

The cynic in me says that they went with the obvious "CAP" because the tri-prop fails to meet the distinctiveness standard because USAF personnel don't know that the tri-prop is a CAP emblem.

[Storm Chaser]

It's not just about distinctiveness; the insignia has to be distinctive from a distance. I suspect that from a distance, a white propeller over blue background is hard to distinguish from a white star over blue background. Perhaps they should've made the propellers red. Or better yet, but the CAP triangle with propellers inside the blue circle.

[Panache]

It's not just about distinctiveness; the insignia has to be distinctive from a distance. I suspect that from a distance, a white propeller over blue background is hard to distinguish from a white star over blue background. Perhaps they should've made the propellers red. Or better yet, but the CAP triangle with propellers inside the blue circle.

Agreed, but I imagine the counter-argument would be "adding another color to the embroidery would drive up costs!"

Personally, I think the scarlet CAP tri-prop in a white triangle would have been far more distinctive (both at-a-distance and low-light) than the new design.  But, hey, what do I know?

[lordmonar]

But, hey, what do I know?

You know nothing John Snow. 

The key here....it is CAP-USAF and the Air Staff that determines what is disincentive enough in low light and at a distance.

[Panache]

But, hey, what do I know?

You know nothing John Snow. 

The key here....it is CAP-USAF and the Air Staff that determines what is disincentive enough in low light and at a distance.

Not debating that.  It's rather encouraging that CAP and Air Staff is so inclusive that they're willing to hire the blind.